Improvement in automatic pressure-vents for beer-barrels



W. H. IBOLES & G. B. HALL. Automatic Pressure-Vent for Beer- Barrels.

Patented Sept. 9, 1879.

ju y/71,6073.

N.PETEES. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, O C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WARREN H. BOLES AND GEORGE B.

HALL, OF FORT PLAIN, NEW YORK;

I SAID HALL ASSIGNOR OF HIS RIGHT TO JAMES H. PETTIT AND WILLIAM C.REID, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN AUTOMATIC PRESSURE-VEtlTS FOR BEER-BARRELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 219,440., datedSeptember 9, 1879; application filed May 27, 1879.

, forming part hereof.

Our invention relates to that class of apparatus which is designed totake the place of ordinary vents and prevent the escape of gas from beeror like malt liquors, and to provide a static pressure, or pressure ofthe same air and gas rather than of fr sh air, at each draft, actingautomatically to keep the gas of the liquor within thebarrel or keg toforce the liquor out of the keg when it is desired, whereby such liquorsmay be kept on draft any length of time without becoming stale or flat,sothat dealers not having constant demand for such liquors may keep themon draft.

Our invention, like those of the class upon which it is an improvement,differs from ordi' nary beer -.pumps in that it does not, like them,force fresh air into the barrel to cause a flow every time the liquor isdrawn, and thereby so dilute the gas as to quickly rob the liquor of itslife; but, on the conlrary, it maintains a static pressure of the gasand the same air upon the liquor. Unlike ordinary vents, it retains thegas instead of allowing it to escape, and adds air-pressure to it tocause the liquor to flow.

Our invention, then, consists in tlLfliT-PBCGP- tacle adapted to bevalvular-1y connected with a beer or other gaseousliquor cask, keg, orbarrel, to take the place of an ordinary vent, and operating to receiveand retain air and the gas that may escape from the keg, and adapted toautomatically force such gas mingled with air with static pressure uponthe beer or liquor, and cause it to flow when the spigot is opened, thesaid air receptacle or sack being arranged within a shell and having acord and Windlass to raise it, so as to permit it to fill with air, anda weighted top to give pressure to the contained air, the whole of thepressure apparatus.

forming a portable apparatus which may be readily and easily transportedindependently of the barrel.

In the drawings above referred to, Figure l is a side elevation ofdevices embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectionFig. 8 is a topplan View of the same, and Fig. 4 a top-plan view of theair receptacle or sack.

The letter A designates a metal or other shell having a removable solidbottom. I), and an annular head, 0. Within this shell is arranged adistensible sack, B, of rubber or other air and gas tight material. Thesolid bottom I) may also form the bottom of the sack B, in which case itwill be secured in the shell by screws, as indicated.

The top of the sack B is provided with a head, a, an annular weight, 0,and an annular cap, (1, this last being of such diameter as to fitsnugly within the shell and serve as a guide to keep the sack fromwabbling as it moves up and down in the shell, as hereinafter described. A stopcock or other valve, 7, is arranged in the head of thesack. Said head is also provided with a staple or eye, 9, into which ishooked a cord, k, that is attached to and wound about a drum, 6. Thisdrum has bearings in brackets 70 l, secured to the head 0, and one endof its shaft is provided with a ratchet-wheel, m, with which engages apawl, n, and on which end is the crank o.

A tube, r, extends from the valve f, and may have a cock, 8, at itsotherend, by which it may be secured to the barrel or keg t. Said tube may beconnected with the barrel at the bung-hole, but is preferably attachedat the vent-hole, and its attachment is made "airtight.

The apparatus being constructed as described, its operation is asfollows: The valve f being open, the crank-is turned, so as to wind thecord it about the drum, and thus draw the head of the sack up. By sodoing the air will be drawn into the sack B and fill it. The pawl isthen thrown into the ratchet, to prevent the unwinding of the cord anddescent of the sack, and the valve is shut off or closed, whereby theescape of the air in the v the liquor in the barrel.

sack is prevented. The cord may now be disengaged from the eye of thesack. The cock 8, being closed, is driven into the barrel, or the tube 1otherwise connected with said. barrel. In driving the cock 8 into thebarrel it is closed to prevent the escape of the gas from the barrel.When the liquor is to be drawn the cocks f and s are opened, allowingthe air and gas to mingle, and establishing con1 munication of thepressure in the sack with As the liquor is Withdrawn from the barrel theair takes its place,

' the weight on the head of the sack serving to ticed, the same air isconstantly used and, as

no gas escapes from the barrel, the liquor is preserved from becomingstale or fiat. B y taking out the screws connecting the shell and bottomI) the sack may be removed from the shell.

This apparatus will be found specially useful to small dealers in maltliquors, who, are obliged to keep them on draft, as by it they can bekept sweet for a long time.

What We claim is- The combination of the air-sack B, weighted top a 0,annulus d, valve f, a cord and windlass, and an inclosing-shell, A, thewhole constituting a portable automatic pressure vent or apparatus forbeer-barrels, si'lbstantially as shown and described.

To the above specification of our invention We have signed our namesthis 26th day of May, A. D. 1879.

WARREN H. BOLES. GEORGE E. HALL. Witnesses:

F. F. WENDELL, WILLIAM H. SEUTZ.

